Memes – They make us laugh, they give us information, and sometimes even offend us. According to Collins Dictionary, a meme is something such as a video, picture, or phrase that a lot of people send to each other on the internet.
For the last few years, memes have become the main source of information, not just for the youth of today but even for the older generation, through various social networking sites.
Several social media users today, prefer consuming information in short-form content. Youngsters do understand the importance of being aware of current affairs, but they mostly consume it through social media and not the traditional news outlets. They are also as likely to get their news from influencers or celebrities they follow online.
According to Jayabhuvaneshwari, the brain behind News Ready Reckoner, an Instagram page that posts everyday news updates, “We wanted the youngsters of today to consume news everyday, have updates about sports, entertainment, politics, what happens in their locality, state, nation and in the world.”
She also says that it is important for the youth to consume ‘news ‘, as the opinion that they currently have on the world, and on politics are mostly because of another individual’s influence. If they start individually consuming news more, they will be able to form opinions of their own.
Social Media has become such a prevalent means of communication that it is now almost an identity for many teenagers out there. Social media is their mode of communication, with friends and even with family. It is how they get their news, keep in touch, form political opinions, learn new trends, connect with people, document and share the highlights of their lives and express their creativity.
Syama Harini, a Chennai-based standup comedian says, “Memes do have an impact to some extent because many sports and film reviews come out in the form of memes, which makes it more visually pleasing. Its impact can also be clearly seen with the growth in the number of meme pages that are coming up each and every day.”
When asked, if as a content creator there lies a responsibility to create the right kind of content when it is related to current affairs and politics, she said, “There is definitely a responsibility to create memes with the right information. The fun element is subjective, but not the facts.”
“There is nothing wrong in consuming news on social media as long as you get it from a reliable, reputed source. Since there is plenty of news propagated through social media it is important to fact-check before you share it with 10 other people. It’s the responsible thing to do,” says Nivetha Shekar, the social media head of Indian Express.
It is also important for news media houses to hop on the digital bandwagon. With the help of apps like Inshorts, consumers today get their news in less than 60 words. The depth of the story may be lost with a word limit, but the essence still remains.
“Since today’s youth spend most of their time on social media I think it would be profitable for traditional media houses to broaden their digital footprint. It would gain them a younger audience who are impressionable and play an active part in shaping the future,” Nivetha added.
Due to their ability to express thoughts and feelings in a fun and relatable way, they have resonated with young audiences from the beginning. While most other media couldn’t maintain their relevance in the Internet age, memes are now one of the most consumed types of content online. Memes are not only a powerhouse of the Internet but also a social phenomenon. But since they are always around us, their real impact is very often overlooked.
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